New York Noise makers: Either/Or

Both were a product of the post no-wave period in New York in the early eighties, making challenging, abrasive music at the begining of their careers. I think the period of Confusion is Sex to EVOL was SY's most accomplished while Sister and Daydream Nation prefigured the formula they would follow on the future Geffen records, playing it a little more safe in the process. Likewise the Swans enjoyed a fruitful time from their inception to at least 87. I think the Swans lost some of their teeth after the inclusion of Jarboe neutered their sound but they still made good albums even though that acoustic stuff was a little maulding. Although it falls down to a matter of personal taste I would say the Swans by a close margin. Overall darker and their live performances were crushing.

From what I've heard of both (which is some Swans and a lot of SY) it sounds to me like the Swans do one thing very well, which is the style that SY were doing at the outset in the early 80s, and that SY do that well and then went on to do other things well in addition.

Though the Swans did inspire an equal amount of boring, one note "industrial" bands. I don't think you should ever judge a band by the bands they influenced (not that I am necessarily saying you were).

It's a dead heat for me, the Swans best moments (Greed/Holy Money, Children of God) match up equally, if not supercede some of Sonic Youth's best moments (Sister, Evol, Bad Moon Rising). I probably listen to Sonic Youth more on a regular basis. They were both great bands who would go on to make some awful music. I guess I'll say Swans, Michael Gira is still making pretty great music, and, aside from Murray Street, Sonic Youth have been pretty boring for quite awhile.

Though both bands were comrades in the post-No Wave scene, I see no musical similarities between them.

This is an easy vote for me, because Sonic Youth's early records--particularly "Evol" and "Sister"--are completely off-the-wall and cacophonous, yet imbued throughout with gorgeous melodies. The Swans can't properly be said to make "music" at all, just a dull and excruciating thud.

Lyrically, Sonic Youth was breaking new ground, and almost nobody every mentions this. "Bad Moon Rising" is an exploration of how society warps peoples' minds by repressing their urges, and "Evol" depicts "love" as being eradicated by technological progress. "Sister" is even more confusing and striking, dealing with all sorts of ideas, from Philip Dick's apocalyptic visions to schizophrenia, presenting a sort of "reality/appearance" dichotomy. I think a thorough, close reading of Sonic Youth's lyrics would be a great thing to have, but no one has seemed interested in it.

yaledelay wrote:Kerble do yourself a favor and pick up Children of God it is very very very good...

Actually, I wouldn't start there. Check out Cop/Young God, Greed/Holy Money, or Filth first to get what I would call the "best" Swans sound. Contrary to the statements above their sound did evolve quite a bit, more than Sonic Youth's in my opinion.